Seven 1916–1918 Vellum Architectural Plans for Illinois Central Railroad Depots, Including Segregated Train Depot in Cecilia, Kentucky

Item Details

A lot of seven original architectural plans on vellum drafting sheets, prepared by the Illinois Central Railroad (I.C.R.R.) engineers of buildings between 1907 and 1918, covering passenger and freight depots in Cecilia, Kentucky; West Frankfort, Illinois; and Paducah, Kentucky. These plans offer a rare view into the design of Midwestern and Southern railroad architecture during the Jim Crow era.

The most striking sheet is the Cecilia, Kentucky Passenger Depot Extension plan (dated May 2, 1916; revised July 3, 1916). The floor plan explicitly labels separate “White Waiting Room” and “Colored Waiting Room,” a powerful example of how segregation was codified into the physical design of public facilities.

Other drawings include:

• West Frankfort, Illinois (1918): “Brick Freight House – Elevations, Roof Plan & Plat Form Diagram” and “Passenger Station Converted from Present Freight House – General Plans & Elevations,” both officially approved and later marked with retirement notations (1938 and 1966).

• Paducah, Kentucky (1907): “Detail of Filing Case for I.C.R.R. City Ticket Office.”

• Site situation maps and track diagrams, with details of platforms, freight rooms, and baggage facilities.

Each plan bears file numbers, approval stamps, and engineers’ notations

Beyond railroad history, these drawings stand as documentary evidence of how segregation was enforced through design

Condition:

Good to very good overall. Vellum sheets show typical handling creases, edge wear, and light soiling consistent with use. Drafting lines and lettering remain strong and legible.

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